Retractor



Allg 25, 1952 P. l.. HEITMEYER ETAL RETRACTOR Filed June 21, 1948 Hlllllllllllll IN VENTORS PUW/S- L. HE/TMEYER HARV YA. El Y m4 ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 26, 1952 UNITED STATES PATEN'I oFFlcEQ Powis L. Heitmeyer and Harvey A.'Leisy, Portland, Oreg.

Appliication'.y June 21, 1948, Serial No. 34,268

6 claims. (o1. 12s-20) This invention relates to a retractor for use on an'operating table and the like, and includes as a part of such retractor clamping devices which may be of general application.

When a surgeon performs an operation, it has heretofore been the practice to have a number of assistants to hold body tissues and the like out of the way to provide'accss to the parts requiring attention. The general object of thepresent invention is to provide a mechanical retractor which may be clamped in a set positionA to perform the function of 'an assistant without occupying as much space around vthe operating table and allowing only controlled movement of the parts being held o-r secured. When a number of human assistants must be used for this purpose, they are necessarily in the wayv of the surgeon and his other assistants who must be present to take care of instruments and other duties which require, in any event, at least one or two human assistants. Holding a retractor motionless under considerable tension is a very tiresome task, and one which can be performed much more satisfactorily by a mechanical device., Ypro-- vided the device is properly designed to be effective for its purpose.

Further objects of the present invention are, therefore, to provide a mechanical retracto-r which is jointed to simulate or to perform the articulating action of the human arm and hand, and which may bel clamped securely-and untiringly in a fixed position to hold a retractor blade immovable during an operation. More specific objects are Ato provide a retractor for the purpose described having a mechanical arm including certain arm members with novel and powerful clamping means for binding" and securing the Vvarious joints in the .arm with a minimum of levers and adjustable parts, and to provide a 'novel arm member in the fo-rm of a clamping device having a single clamping lever to clamp associated members at either end thereof rigidly in xed positions by a simple manipulation.

Important features of the invention comprise the construction of individual clamping devices which constitute certain of the arm members of the retractor. Each of the clamp-ing devices is made in the form of an elongated body having bearing means at its ends designed for' pivotal connection with cylindrical or spherical ends on other of the arm members. The body member of each clamping device contains oppositely disposed clamping elements which may be extended into clamping engagement with such members in the bearing elements by a sliding toggle action 2 y through the manipulation of a single over-center clamping and locking lever by which the device may be either clamped or released with a simple movement of such lever. The invention will be better understood and additional objects and advantages willw become apparent as the description proceeds in connection with the accompanyingy drawing illustrating the salient features of the invention. It is tobe understood, however, that the drawing is merely for the purpose of illustration and not for the purpose of limiting the invention. Various changes may be made in the construction andarrangement of parts, andvall suchmodicatio'ns within the scope of the appended claimslare included in the invention.

In the drawings: y Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of one formof retractor embodying the principlesof the ,invention; u A y Figure 2 is a sectional view showing ,theconstruction of one of the clamping devices illustrated in Figure 1; l ,I

Figure 3 is a sectional view showing theuconstruction of another of the clamping devices i11-Y lustrated in Figure V1; f Figure 4 is a perspective view of .a modified form of clamping device; and .v

. Figure 5 is a perspective view of a link or arm to be used withA the clamping devices. x Referring rst to the complete retractor arm sh-own in Figure 1, the numeral I0 designates a supporting clamp to mount the retractor arlnfon a longitudinal rail extending` along the sidej'of the operating table. Hand screws II provide 'for' I3. The other endI of the member I5 is provided with a similar bearing II to receive the downturned end of an L-shaped arm or link I8, the bearings I6 and I'I being disposed at right angles to each other, with the bearing' IB horizontal and the bearing I'Iv vertical in the illustrative embodiment. Both of these bearings include clamping elements to engage the respective'arms I3 and I8 with sufiicient force to prevent relative movement of the parts and both of the clamping elements may be engaged or released simultaneously by a single manipulative handle 20. When the clamping elements are released by the handle 20, the arms I3 and I8 may have both longitudinal and pivotal movements in their respective bearings for adjustment of the relative positions of the parts.

Another 1a'lftlculaicingA arnrmember Eof thefretractor/nomprises a lclamping zm'ember. ZIaconnected with the arm I8 at one end and with an arm 22 at its other end. In the present embodiment the extremity of the arm 22 carries a head 23 having a headed stud 24 to engage in 'af-key'- rangement is such that when the handle is closed into its full line position in Figure 2, the pin 5I is carried over center and slightly below the pin 41 by the time the free end of the handle 5 engages the body member I5. The nut 40 exposed on the upper side of the body member and projecting through an opening 53 in its lower side provides convenient means of adjustment to fshorten or #lengthen the eiectivelength of push lorod 4I., sorth'atthe clamping shoes 35 and 43 will then be projected through their respective open- ;agings 31 and 44 into rm clamping engagement ...with whatever cylindrical members or rods may "'be'inserted in the two bearings I6 and I1. The

hole slot of a detachable retraction-'blade'25.nl5.-ovencenterrmovement of the pin 5I with respect The arms I8 and 22 have ball ends 21 andlfref spectively, mounted in the opposite ends of the member 2l for swiveling andmniversal'movements. Clamping elements are providedvincthe member 2| to clamp the ball ends 21 and 28 in Vdiusted position simultaneously Yby.the simple L ,ninlulation-oiY a` single' handle`130. Thusj'the :ball ends 21 andfzjprovide'universal movement which, in conjunction'withlthe pivotal'and longitudinalY movements provided by. the'jjpreviously,.` mentioned bearings' 216 and lI1`ir1`.` the 'clamping "member-11,5, 'allow"the' etractor .'blad"26t` Vbe T 'placed in any" desired'. position 'to pe'rform the s' service yTof an lassistantratthe ,operating-'.table'lto fxoml the-'region oftheloperation.

.The mechanical construction of the clamping "fmember I5is.shown 'in' Figure 2.'. The clamping Ielement'associatedwith the bearing `I B comprises ai clamping: shoe35 havingan arcuate .c':ylindric'al;

' 'surface3'whi'ch "may be .projected lthroligh .an

opening 31 in the bearing'to'engageany vshaft or rod that may be disposed vtherein'such asti the "horizontal cylindrical arm' 'ofithe bar v13. '.The

1;.toathe pin 41 holds the parts locked in clamped position when there are members in the bearings "Iand 'I1"for'"the clamping shoes to engage. fWhen the arm 20 is raised to its broken line 20 position it will be apparent that the push rod 4I is slightly .retracted by' the arcuate movement of .Lthelpin'5l 'about'the pin" 41 as a' 'center'. "This movement wilLr'elease not only the clamping shoe "35, but also theclamping shoe 43', inasmuch as 25..the Apin .41.is' free to move in the'slots"43 which support it, permitting'the two'pu'sh 'rods'and ...toggle lever"vto float-longitudinally asa'unit.

1 .Only avery. slight relative longitudinal'movement .between'the .two pushrods '4I and. is necessary 30. tofclampor release. the device. Shulders'54 pre- .ve'ntithe shoe35, from .proiectingtoo fai` into' its .bearingppe'ningsothat the parts cannot .become dislocated when no shaft is present in` th'e bearing. 'I'Tdfacilitate assembly and disassembly` ofthe 35. parts, the slots4V 48- are prefeiably:made asL key- '.lioleslots having a-wideend .to receivethe lpin .'41in assemblyof thedeviceandnarrow. portions .to .receiveattened endson. the pir` 41..fors'Iiding A.movement 'when' the parts. .are assembledin ad- `lam`ping shoe`35 'extends iongitdally With-imag' .justed position. The construction r.is schith'at the elongated tubular body of the memberlfand "filas acylin'drical bore 38fto..receivfloosely a` hub "SET-on a' nut: A4E!A arranged Vto bearnag'ainst'lthe clampingr shoe. The nut 40'is mountedbnthe thread'ed" end of a 'push rod 4I e'xtedingilongiz tudinally throu'gh the open interior bf theh'llow body I5 wherebya forceapplied tojthe psh-rod is'transmitted to. the 'clampingshoe The clamping feleme'nt .-.associated .ivthi the bearing' TI 1 comprises a. ,similarflarcuatel'shoe .43

.arrangedLto project-through an opening' .'44 inthe' si'de 'ofthe bearing .asishown A..flangef45.limits the' distance whichthelshoe llma'y. beprojected fn'to' the bearing, .and both the shoee and -ange .'are pref era'bly ,formadas integnalpartsnon. the endof a push rndextendingtoward.the.end.of vithe push r'od.4I,.

The end .bflthe :push mod. 4remote..from.the clampng shoe'lis. apertured. ,to .receiver aapinf -41 whoseflopposite ends..- extend into engagement wlththe .oppsiteisides .onthe body of, theameml ber'. I 5. The -ends 'of '.thelpin. 41.. are receivedin longitudinal' slots '48 (Figure 1 LtoI .permit lungi .tudinalmovementofthepushrrodd While-holding it. inalignme'nt. with. the Ycenter .of the lopening'. QA Ufshapedtoggle. lever 50.isfapertured Ionmounting on the .pin 41- with. the :ends- :ofthe L .two push. rods .4 Land 4 6: included .betweenvits two larms. I iIhe.end..of.-the pushrod4Ieisarapertured to receiveapin 5I whichviszmounted Vat itszends e .inthe two arms .-of :the Ushapedf toggle ;flever i5 D." ..flherfpin' 5I; does-not extend-out/.to:engage the rslotz Q4 8:10112 .fanyfV :part bi .thefbodymflmember-f II 5. .:iihehandle :2 Bris 'attachedllto the 'togglei levei-UBO.

.llheaction- Yoffthe 'above described`clanfpingfar j .the ,partsmay be-.easily'disassembled forcleaning, but cannot Ibecomeaccide'ntally disassembled sthrough ordinaryl adjustment. The .adjustability provided by. the. nut .'40 'allows'. theclampingiorce nto be variedto anyvalue desiredfTheciamping Y to equalizertheforceexertedfomthetwo clamping shoes.

The` construction-iof..the .clamping :member 2 I ..isshowm in Figure- 3. r This:A device operatesfnn nthese-me principle andhas'thefsame generalfcon- ,G0 ,struction-as .the ievicefshownrn'Figure 2;':and

. .like parts. ,andeaturesf:arefdesignatedvibyrthe same Vreference'. numerals. Thea'olamping: member 2 I -hovveverpisi different :from ."therclamping member aI 5f-in=two importantrrespeots. I' .Thelirst 65. vrliierence: is :that the' lpivotal -faction'lprovi'dedi by .the-member.V` is Anot': merelyorotary; v*but nnelof s swiveling fandfnmiversall movementfatfseach :'end .,.ofthe member. Thefsecond difference nsidesin .thesfact that. the arms with-'which .the member 2 I .is oonnectedare notfremovable fromthefbodyoi t the membexn The: ball. .ends 2 1 -and r2 IlA are f'retained in` spherical bearings=60 `and 16 I respective- 1y, and are notadaptedto. beremovedexceptby 'i disassembling' the.' device. .The .c1amping.-.ele "mentsin" this '.casei comprisel shoes. .'BLandM having spherically curved seats to t the surfaces of balls`2'I and'28. When the handle 30 is raised to'release position, the'push rods 4I and 46 are retracted slightly toward each other so that the balls are free to rotate or twist in any direction within the limits of circularl openings64 and 65 in the ends of the body. When the handle 30 is closed down to engage the body member, as shown in VFigure 3, the pin 5I is moved to an overcenter position with respect to pin 41, causing the push rods 4I and 4S to be relatively extended away fromieach other a suiiicient amount to engage the clamping shoes 62 and 63 with their respectiverballs. As in the clamping member I5, the nut 4G provides a wide range of adjustment to make the clamping action as tight or as loose asl desired,v the clampingy action of the sliding toggle exerting thev sameV force against each ball. The amount of longitudinal movement of the push rods M and 46 is sov slight in the clamping and unclamping actions that the clamping shoes S2 and 63 cannot become displaced from their natural self-centeredpositions against the balls.

Thus theuse ofi-the two clamping members I5 and 2| shown in Figure l provides a very flexible retractor having fourmovable joints, allowing the retractor blade 2B to be placed in any desired po-sition, which positionmay be readily maintained'by merely snapping down the two handles 20 and 3).v 'l'vvo or more of the completel retractor arms shown in Figure 1 maybe used, as desired. IIn retractors heretofore proposed, it has been necessary to adjust and tighten each joint separately by its own individual clamping device, making the retractor cumbersome and awkward to manipulate and of doubtful advantage. An assisting apparatus of the present type which will tend to reduce the strain on the operating surgeon and shorten the actual time of the operation is of great beneiit, both to the surgeon and the patient.

Figure 4 shows a clamping member I5 similar to the clamping member I5, except that the bearing I I is oriented in parallel relation with the bearing I6. It is apparent that by the use of suitable connecting arms the member I5 may be substituted for either of the members I5 or 2l in Figure 1, or may even be interposed between certain of the members shown in Figure 1 to provide additional joints in the retractor. For some purposes the member I5 may be more convenient than the member I5.

Figure 5 shows an arm 'IIJ of crank shape comprising a bent cylindrical rod which may be used to advantage with either of the clamping members I5 or I5 to provide an oli-set articulating movement. It is also within the scope of the invention to use a pair of arms somewhat similar to the arm 'I0 in the two bearings of the clamping member I5 to form an independent retractor which would be supported solely by the patient without the use of supporting clamp I and arm I3. Two arms 'it mounted in the bearings I 6 and I'I of the clamping member I 5 could then be swung toward or away from each other and clamped in a set position to hold apart muscles or tissue under an incision. For such use, the arms may, of course, be provided with detachable retractors, such as the retractor 26 in Figure l, if desired.

Other equivalent forms of mechanical construction will occur to persons skilled in the art, and other arrangements for connecting the parts together for different purposes will occur to persons familiar with the problems of surgery, and

it is' intended that the invention shall includev all such modications and adaptations to various purposes. f The apparatus disclosed is not necessarily limited to surgical use, but may be adapted in whole or in part to many diierent uses 'to provide an Vadjustable supporting or holding device. l y v- Having now described our invention and in what manner the same may be used, what We claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: i

1. A clamping device for vpivotal 'connection between a pair of arm members in a jointed supporting arm, comprising an elongated body member, bearing means for-pivotal connection of the respective arm members in opposite ends of said body member, individual clamping elements in said body member having opposed longitudinal movement into clamping relation with said bearing means, a toggle joint connection between saidclamping elements for effecting said opposed movement, and a pivot pin in said toggle .joint having longitudinal sliding engagement with said body member to accommodate sliding movement of said toggle joint connection and both clamping elements as a unit for equalizing the clamping forcesexerted by the clamping elements.` i

2. A clamping device for pivotal connection between a pair of arm members in a jointed supporting arm, comprising an elongated body member, bearing means for pivotal Vconnection of the respective arm members in opposite ends of said body member, individual clamping elements having opposed longitudinal movement toward said bearing means in the respective ends of said body member, a toggle joint connection between said clamping elements for effecting said opposed movement to move said clamping elements into clamping relation with the respective bearing means, longitudinal guide means in said body member, and a pin in said toggle joint having end portions engaging said guide means for longitudinal movement of the toggle joint and clamping elements in unison to equalize the clamping force of the two clamping elements.

3. In a jointed supporting arm having a plurality of pivotally connected arm members, an elongated tubular shell forming one of said arm members, bearing means in opposite ends of said shell for pivotal connection with other members of said arm, a pair of clamping elements in said shell having opposed longitudinal movement into clamping relation with said bearing means, a toggle member pivotally connected between said clamping elements, a hand lever integral with said toggle member for thrusting said clamping elements apart in said opposed longitudinal movement, longitudinal slots in said shell, and a pivot pin in said toggle member having end portions engaging said slots for longitudinal movement of the toggle memberand clamping elements in unison to equalize the clamping force of the two clamping elements.

4. A clamping device for pivotal connection between 'a pair of members in a jointed supporting arm, comprising an elongated body member, bearing means for pivotal connection of the respective members in opposite ends of said body member, individual clamping elements in said body member having opposed longitudinal movement into clamping relation with said bearing means, a toggle joint connection between said clamping elements having an over-center movement to clamp and unclamp said elements, said toggle joint and clamping elements being movable 7 longitudinally as a unit relative to said body member to equalizeithe clamping force of the two clamping elements, and a. length adjustment on one. of said clamping elements toV adjust the clamping force of both clamping elements.

5. A clamping device for pivotal connection between a pair of members in a jointed supporte ing arm, comprising an elongated body member, bearing means for pivotal connection of the respective members inv opposite ends of said body member, individual clamping elements in` said body member having opposed longitudinal movement into clamping relation with the respective bearingmeans, a toggle element having pivotal connections with said two clamping elements. guide means on one of said elements having 1ongitudinal, sliding engagement with said body member to accommodate sliding` movement of said toggle element and both clamping elements aaa unit for equalizing the clamping forces exerted by the clamping elements, a hand lever on said toggle element` for imparting an over-center movement to said toggle element to clamp and unclamp. said clamping elements, and means for adjusting the position of one of said. clamping elements` relative to its associated bearing means to adjust the clamping force of both clamping elements.

6. An articulated retractor arm comprising a series of arm members pivotally connected together in end to end relation, a supporting clamp on one end of said retractor arm, and a retractor blade on' the-other end of saidretractoiarm, at

least oneofsaid arm members comprising en elongated body membeehavingv bearing means in; its opposite endslor pivotal connection with other'of said arm members. individual clamping elements in said body member having-opposed longitudinal movement into: clampingr relation with saidbearingzmeans, atoggle joint connection between said clamping elements having an avere-center movement to clamp and unclamp said elements, said. toggle loint. and clamping elementi` being. movable` longitudinally as e. unit relativerto seid' body member to equalize the clamping force of the two clamping elements, and a length adjustment onzoneof said clamping elements to adjust the clamping force of both clamping elements.

POWIS L. HEI'I'MEYER.

HARVEY A. LEIBY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references varel of record' in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,054,488` Bailey Feb. 25, 1913 1,306,426y Graves June 10, 1919 1,440,401 May Jan. 2, 1923 1,747,7994 Straus Feb. 18, 1930 2,238,869,` Haynes Apr. 15, 1941 2,245,252., Cleghorn June 10, 1941 2.346,34rtv AndersonY Apr. 11, 1944 

